The "OMG I just finished!" Thread

[Just_Me_Brett]

Just finished this afternoon.  Brilliant work this book.  At the end I just cried.  Mr Jordan created a beautiful tale & Sanderson helped him finish.  So many cry & laughter points, mercy.  I am thankful I lived long enough to read the whole story.

[Az]

I thought the ending was fitting.  For 14 books we've seen Rand suffer.  Having a fresh start or rather a new beginning is very in line with the concept of the Wheel. 

[CrazyJP]

That was perfect. All the people complaining are complaining because it didn't go the way they had envisioned it. 

 

Thank you Jason for saying it wasn't the ending you expected but it was the ending it deserved. Made me step back and wonder. By the time the book was released I had no preconceptions. 

 

Thank you Brandon for delivering a perfect ending to my favorite series of all time. Thank God Harriet picked you. I was shaking quite a few times throughout it. Masterful delivery of all the characters. I worried when RJ died that the characters souls would pass too. They didn't.

 

I feel like I need to shout for joy, cry in sadness, and scream with insanity all at the same time.

 

Good bye Wheel of Time. Thank you.

[Suttree]

All the people complaining are complaining because it didn't go the way they had envisioned it. 

 

Yes clearly that's what it is. Didn't have anyting to do with the unpolished prose, blunt plotwork, wooden dialogue, "tell don't show" style or poor characterization. All that without even toching on the mistakes and structural issues. I'm just pissed Demandred came out of Shara.

[Mr. Micawber]

All the people complaining are complaining because it didn't go the way they had envisioned it. 

 

 

Yes clearly that's what it is. Didn't have anyting to do with the unpolished prose, blunt plotwork, wooden dialogue, "tell don't show" style or poor characterization. All that without even toching on the mistakes and structural issues. I'm just pissed Demandred came out of Shara.

 

Seriously, Suttree, what kind of fanboy crap was that? Good on you for smacking down that junk

[Sanngrior]

I feel depressed now.  I know I was looking forward to this book, but Wheel of Time has been an integrial part of my life since I was 16 years old.  My 18th birthday present was a collection of the entire series and I was thrilled with it.  I've been following this series for 16 years now and....it's over.  It's very bittersweet for me.

However, my 15 year old step-daughter has decided that since the series is finished, she wants to read it, so there's always the joy of having new Wheel of Time fans to squeee!!! with. 

[Graendal probably did it]

I finished it today, in audio form at work. Like many of you here finishing the series is a bittersweet ending, it marks an end in a chapter of my life, I have been reading these books for 20 years, and it feels wonderful and bitter at the same time.

 

Brandon if you are reading any of this, I think you did a great job, and I would like to thank all of you for finishing off this wonderful series.

 

My favourite parts in no particular order are:

 

1/ The Sharans turning up with the massive gateway with Demandred (I wasn't expecting that to happen)

2/ Lanfear trying to free the dark one at the end but being killed by Perrin

3/ Androl bumping off a load of turned ashaman using a gateway in the black tower

 

I would have preferred it if a few of the majorish characters got bumped off though, such as Lan, although him killing Demandred was pretty good.

[driedraspberry]

Nice, I just finished in time to go out. I wish Rand's women thought he was dead too and that would be the sacrifice. Otherwise nice. Body swap + stilled, and yet uplifting.

 

There weren't enough twists for my taste, but I had fun.

[NitroS]

Anyone else when reading padan fains part and him talking about mist instantly thought of mistborn and how at home he would have felt writing about that. Also could have atleast had him kill of shadar haran but instead no mention of him at all

[Crossroad]

Yeah just finished,  Wow  I'm still Num Thanks to both Harriet and Brandon for completing Roberts great epic.

[Guest Jordan Levy]

Finished last night at 12:30. The aMol & the Final battle was a great ending for the series, I'm really happy with the ending. I liked some of the uses for chaneling & using gateways.

I've read in many sources that RJ wrote the final scene of aMoL - Does anyone know if that means the epilogue, the very last chapter or the end of the Final Battle?

 

PS - I can't believe he is letting his father (Perin/Matt) think he is dead,

 

PPS - How did Rand light his pipe. Does he now have "powers" becuase he was outside of time?

 

[Woolheaded]

Finished last night at 12:30. The aMol & the Final battle was a great ending for the series, I'm really happy with the ending. I liked some of the uses for chaneling & using gateways.

 

I've read in many sources that RJ wrote the final scene of aMoL - Does anyone know if that means the epilogue, the very last chapter or the end of the Final Battle?

 

PS - I can't believe he is letting his father (Perin/Matt) think he is dead,

 

PPS - How did Rand light his pipe. Does he now have "powers" becuase he was outside of time?

I don't know all the answers, but I might be able to help.

 

I'm pretty sure that the epilogue was the scene Jordan wrote. I doubt he would have left that to Brandon.

Edit: The epilogue was Jordan. Read this: http://brandonsanderson.com/blog/1136/Its-finally-out.

 

Some people know about Rand, Nynaeve suspects, Cadsuane is sure, the trio knows ofcourse, he will have to come back someday. The thing is, Rand cannot channel anymore, so it's not like there's much he can do or be forced into. Channeling would just remind him of these very stressful days. I think that's why he's relieved. Anyway, back to the question, I'm pretty sure his friends/father will eventually find out, but Rand is probably going to try to lie low for a long time. Coming back now would just anger those around him because they were getting all sad over his loss. However if he comes back later, lets his friends figure out that it is him, and also does his best to stay out of the world's affairs, he's going to turn out OK.

 

Rand has always had a very special relationship with T'A'R. He appears in T'A'R when he is doing important things in the real world. I think it is through this relationship of being somewhat invested in T'A'R, being a huge figure of the wheel, being the champion of the light, and having survived being outside the pattern and seeing essentially all of creation that Rand is able to control his surroundings by thought. He is unlikely to use this ability extensively though. Mostly for the gimmicks and things he likes to do.

Edited January 12, 2013 by Woolheaded

[MarkDiLillo]

Finished last night at 12:30. The aMol & the Final battle was a great ending for the series, I'm really happy with the ending. I liked some of the uses for chaneling & using gateways.

 

I've read in many sources that RJ wrote the final scene of aMoL - Does anyone know if that means the epilogue, the very last chapter or the end of the Final Battle?

 

PS - I can't believe he is letting his father (Perin/Matt) think he is dead,

 

PPS - How did Rand light his pipe. Does he now have "powers" becuase he was outside of time?

 

RJ wrote the Epilogue (minus the brief Cadsuane PoV I believe).  The rest is all Brandon Sanderson with the exception of the Slayer PoV in the prologue.

Edited January 12, 2013 by Mark D

[bossman]

That was perfect. All the people complaining are complaining because it didn't go the way they had envisioned it. 

 

Thank you Jason for saying it wasn't the ending you expected but it was the ending it deserved. Made me step back and wonder. By the time the book was released I had no preconceptions. 

 

Thank you Brandon for delivering a perfect ending to my favorite series of all time. Thank God Harriet picked you. I was shaking quite a few times throughout it. Masterful delivery of all the characters. I worried when RJ died that the characters souls would pass too. They didn't.

 

I feel like I need to shout for joy, cry in sadness, and scream with insanity all at the same time.

 

Good bye Wheel of Time. Thank you.

 

Lol didn't go how we envisined it? It didn't go period. What ending are you talking about exactly? The non ending?

 

If i wanted to finish stories for myself I would make up random bullshit in my head for entertainment. Authors are telling ME the story, don't leave it open ended to appease people. it is your story, so tell it. YOU tell ME what happens.

Edited January 12, 2013 by bossman

[lolguy26]

meh, seriously thats how it ended , i wanted to know more , hopefully the encyclopedia explains a few things  

[davidkeen]

I just finished reading and am very satisfied with the wrap up overall. Like many others this series has been a big part of my life and influenced some pretty key decisions of interests and career direction. Stepping in to complete a series that was already so complex, had such an attentive fanbase and had extended over two decades was a huge task and Brandon Sanderson did an admirable job. 

[dogf00d]

Well, after being an avid follower and reader of the series for so long (And forum lurker for that matter lol) I figured I'd start posting and talking about the series. I feel pretty sad and drained at the end of it. There were plenty of things to be unhappy about, but it was an ending that I could be happy with.

 

Anyone else stuck at the point where it feels good to have the final resolution and know, but at the same time it seems as if quite a large chapter of your life has just closed, pun unintentional lol.

 

 

[everygamer]

Finished the book yesterday morning, kinda feeling like a number of other posters that I am going to miss this series.

 

I liked how the 4 great captains were so easily used against the armies of light by a single Forsaken. 

 

I am not sure if I liked the fact that we had 3 distinct battles with Demandred? It seemed too repetitive, and also took Galad out of being used in a more dynamic plot. Personally I always felt that Galad dying at Shayol Ghul would have fit the "His blood on the rocks of Shayol Ghul, washing away the Shadow, sacrifice for man’s salvation." taking the "his blood" to mean blood by relation not physical blood, and then that being the plot twist that leads to his living through the end. I like how the ending played out, but the 3 sword fights seemed a bit much. I do like Lan finishing him off though.

 

Anyone else pick up on the fact that Rand at the end with the new body had a single "Saa" in his eye? Could this represent the Dark One still being in the world and the possible future corruption of post-MoL Rand? He either lit his pipe with the True Power .. or he lit it by flexing his will on the pattern. Either would make sense with the term "impossible pipe" because  with the Dark One gone there should be no True Power, and since the Dark One is no longer present his influence on the world due to being the Dragon should have left too. He was very specific that has the Dark Ones influence grew, his abilities to affect the world did to to act as a balance hence his powers in the last 2 books allowing him to make things grow, force the sun to show through the clouds, be protected from walking into the White Tower as a male channeller. So is the Dark One locked away ... or is he just a seed that will grown in the world again.

[everygamer]

Finished the book yesterday morning, kinda feeling like a number of other posters that I am going to miss this series.

 

I liked how the 4 great captains were so easily used against the armies of light by a single Forsaken. 

 

I am not sure if I liked the fact that we had 3 distinct battles with Demandred? It seemed too repetitive, and also took Galad out of being used in a more dynamic plot. Personally I always felt that Galad dying at Shayol Ghul would have fit the "His blood on the rocks of Shayol Ghul, washing away the Shadow, sacrifice for man’s salvation." taking the "his blood" to mean blood by relation not physical blood, and then that being the plot twist that leads to his living through the end. I like how the ending played out, but the 3 sword fights seemed a bit much. I do like Lan finishing him off though.

 

Anyone else pick up on the fact that Rand at the end with the new body had a single "Saa" in his eye? Could this represent the Dark One still being in the world and the possible future corruption of post-MoL Rand? He either lit his pipe with the True Power .. or he lit it by flexing his will on the pattern. Either would make sense with the term "impossible pipe" because  with the Dark One gone there should be no True Power, and since the Dark One is no longer present his influence on the world due to being the Dragon should have left too. He was very specific that has the Dark Ones influence grew, his abilities to affect the world did to to act as a balance hence his powers in the last 2 books allowing him to make things grow, force the sun to show through the clouds, be protected from walking into the White Tower as a male channeller. So is the Dark One locked away ... or is he just a seed that will grown in the world again.

[Ryrin]

I just finished the book. I'm really sad how it ended for most characters and really thought the book could have been better.

 

Elayne never gave birth and we never learned of Avi's pregnancy with the four. Gareth and Siaun deserved better and so did many others. Moiraine's return scene was ridiculous and we saw very little of her in the book.

[jjstraka34]

 Moiraine's return scene was ridiculous and we saw very little of her in the book.

 

This for sure. This should have been the most surefire scene to write in the whole series. Was looking forward to this more than anything else. It was completely flat. The only thing I liked about it was Nynaeve gving her a hug. It was the only thing that rang true. Her non-interaction with Lan when she and Rand are visiting him in the Borderlands is inexcusable. These two spent 20 YEARS side by side preparing for this very moment, and they barely exchange words.

[Treebeard]

She maby wanted a clean cut* ( *note the extreme use of sarcasm )

[Guest CaraiBela]

I finished it on January 11th and honestly I loved it. I understand certain criticisms: I would have liked more reunions for instance. But it was epic on a scale large enough to satisfy me. Of course I'm left feeling bittersweet. That is natural at the end of a 14 book series I've been reading since I was 13. But I really enjoyed Brandon's books in the WoT series. The last few that RJ wrote seemed to bog down and lacked many epic moments (other than the cleansing of Saidin of course). I have no doubt that RJ would have finished the series strong, but I think Brandon did an admirable job. Did he sound exactly like RJ? No, and thats a good thing. He brought his own voice and it was a powerful one. I also felt that the whole "battle of the sexes" thing was toned down in Brandon's books, and I consider that a good thing.

 

I loved Egwene's final scene. She died in a truly epic way. I don't care about whether it was a throw away line about her sa-angreal having no limit. Lan's battle with Demandred was also awesome. It made complete sense that he defeated Demandred by sheathing the sword. I also think that he did die but that Rand brought him back to life. This would explain why the DO thought he was dead. Rand's battle was not quite as thrilling, but in a way that makes sense. How exactly can you battle the concept of evil? Of course it would be a psychological battle.

 

My advice to you if you are feeling let down is to give it time and another read. Maybe you really don't like the book. Or maybe you are just suffering from feelings of loss at the series being over.

[rabbittmaster]

i just finished it, 2 hours ago and have been crying non stop since

Egwene's death hit me hard i am so sad i cant understand why she had to die

now i prey that harriet and tor  deside to let brandon write the outriggers so we know what

 happened in the white tower and mat and rands new adventures

[Guest Jonathan Kibler]

 

Hey when did Mat die twice?  He thinks he is no longer bound to the horn because of when he was hanged but the heros imply it was from another death that Rand saved him from.

 

The assault on Caemlyn in tFoH. Rand balefires Rahvin and brings Aviendha, Asmodean and Mat back.

 

 

>Am I the only one who wondered where Shadar Haran was? he was meant to be this uber fade yet played no part(Im pretty sure I didnt see him.)

He's shown as an empty husk on the floor. That's it.

 

Agreed on Shadar Haran.  Does empty husk imply to you that whatever was in him had "left" to go somewhere else?  It does to me otherwise why not simply say that he was dead/decommissioned or whatever? If whatever it was that had been in him had left was it the DO himself?

 

On matt's death unlinking him from the horn I don't find your balefire argument convincing because the use of balefire should have made Matt's death as though it had never happened at all.  That reality no longer exists.  

 

On matt's 2nd death I have an alternative theory: AMOL page 812-813 has DO stating "I CAN STILL KILL...I CAN STILL TAKE THEM ALL! I AM LORD OF THE GRAVE. THE BATTLE LORD, HE IS MINE. ALL ARE MINE EVENTUALLY!"  "THE SON OF BATTLES. I WILL TAKE HIM. I WILL TAKE THEM ALL, ADVERSARY. AS I TOOK THE KING OF NOTHING."  "Blood and Bloody ashes! What was that nothingness in his head?" "Mat Squinted the battle seeming to dim around him"  "So very wrong, Shai'tan, Rand's voice whispered in Mat's mind". If you keep reading at least part of Rand's conversation appears to concern Lan however, The DO did clearly threaten Matt's Death as either the "BATTLE LORD" and or "SON OF BATTLES".  My theory is then that this "nothingness" and "dimness" that present in Matt's mind was an attempt of the DO to kill him and that Rand's whispering was the counterpoint restoring him to life. Unstated then would be the actual point of death... Perhaps a lousy theory I don't know.... But, Who's the King of Nothing??